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CAJUN ACCORDION DISCUSSION GROUP

 

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Re: Re: Re: Re: What key accordion matches well with a fiddle, besides C and D?

Well most of what you're asking depends on who is playing fiddle. There are some fiddle players out there that can play with anything and it will sound pretty good. By pretty good I mean it will fit, but that's not to say it will sound entirely traditional. My personal favorite besides C and D to play with are A or E(with a standard tuned fiddle) but of the two I think most fiddlers would rather the A. B flat doesn't sound bad tuned standard but it's a little tricky fingering wise, hence why most fiddlers would tune down a whole step.

I think there needs to be a compromise between fiddle and accordion, but what it really boils down to is that if you're doing all the singing, they better learn to play with what you're using or learn to sing quick. But then again, I like a good challenge every now and then

John

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: What key accordion matches well with a fiddle, besides C and D?

Our fiddleplayer use two fiddles.
One is "standard" tuned and he plays it besides the D-accordion. The other fiddle is tuned lower and this one he plays with the C-accordion.
I know that in the old days there was a problem between fiddle and accordion players. The accordion and the fiddle didn't sound good in that days.
Who was the first fiddleplayer who tuned the fiddle lower ?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: What key accordion matches well with a fiddle, besides C and D?

Bob.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: What key accordion matches well with a fiddle, besides C and D?

I knew there was something about Bob!

I know a lot of Old Time fiddlers tuned to what sounded good to them, without a tuning fork or any other aid. Many played with banjos that couldn't be brought up to concert pitch, so the instruments were tuned relative to each other. I'd bet there were some fiddlers that just went ahead and tuned to the accordion, not thinking in terms of tuning down. In this age of tuners in every instrument case, going to a festival with lots of jams, you can pretty much count on everybody being in concert pitch. A few years ago, bouncing from one jam to another meant retuning to some degree was a given.
Steve

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: What key accordion matches well with a fiddle, besides C and D?

I guess I've answered my own question somewhat.

If the original song I play is in G on a C box, I could then get a G box, play it in D, and the fiddler should have little problem playing on a standard tuned fiddle. The strings primarily played will be the middle two, rather than the upper two. To me that would not be a problem, because I don't go all over the fingerboard when I play. To some it might limit their playing.



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